Is braid the very best thing to happen to fishing? Switching to this ultra fine low stretch stuff can enhance most fishing applications, so the answer must surely be yes! Or is it…take a moment to consider this interesting scenario.

It was a quiet afternoon in a very quiet corner of the New England area. Three spin rods were in use on the river and each was rigged with identical spinner baits for cod. Two of the rigs were equipped with 10lb breaking-strain best quality braid with a 2m Siglon 5kg leader. The last rod was casting 3kg (.021 diameter) breaking-strain Platypus Lo-Stretch mono to which the spinner bait was directly connected.

Just to make the picture a little more interesting, there was a difference in the fishing experience of the anglers concerned. The braid-equipped outfits were in the hands of quite experienced anglers. The outfit running the fine pink Platypus mono was in the hands of a young ‘newbie’ to cod angling, Daniel Landers. He may of lacked experience, but he made up for it in endless enthusiasm.

That 2hr session on cod was a real eye opener. The two braid-equipped outfits scored just one cod between them, while Daniel managed to grass two fine fish for his efforts. He also had a couple of bumps, but failed to convert them into hook-ups.

I am unsure of why the mono out-fished the braid outfits – especially in the hands of the more experienced anglers. However, the success rate is certainly testament to the performance we might experience from this quality Platypus line. The low stretch factor and fine diameter is a bonus for certain styles of fishing. For instance, lurefishing would definitely like to keep the stretch out of the equation.

Personally, I believe that in the slightly off-coloured water, the cod did not notice the fine pale pink line. They simply zeroed in on the whirling mass of blades and pulsating rubber that was invading their territory.

Along with its other qualities the Lo Stretch Platypus line is also IGFA rated. I see a lot of advantages in using this line for many applications. I see the Platypus product valuable on the Alvey for surf fishing. I even plan to spool up with the material for my trip to Fraser Island later this month.